3-02. on Ovid's epistles. 



Sir, To the Editor of the Bee. 



The nine books of poetical epistles which Ovid composed 

 during the seven first years of his melancholy exile, are 

 well observed by Mr Gibbon to pofsefs, besides the merit 

 of elegance, a double value. 



" They exhibit a picture of the human mind (^writes he,) 

 under very singular circumstances, and they contain many 

 curious observatrons which no Roman except Ovid could 

 have an opportunity of making*." 



I have frequently regretted, that no gentleman who 

 united the poet and the scholar \n one character, has ap- 

 peared to give us at once (in Englifh verse,) the softnefs 

 and elegance of the original, and to elucidate the text 

 with topographical and moral remarks. 



With respect to the poetical part of such an undertaking, I 

 am persuaded that no one individual Ihould ever think of com- 

 pafsing above a few of those epistles, such as have often attrac- 

 ted his attention and engaged his poetical fancy ; and that, af- 

 ter a select number were written In this manner, by various 

 hands, and con ainore, that the book fliould be publllhed with 

 its subsidiary elucidations, that these isolated epistles (hould 

 make their first appearance In literary miscellanies, and thus 

 be subjected to the criticism and correction of the public. 



I beg leave to offer you a hazardous attempt of mine 

 to promote such a plan by a free translation of that beau- 

 tiful epistle In the first book of his Pontics, which Is ad- 

 drefsed to his wife. I will not disgrace myself by decry- 

 ing the merit of what I offer to the public, but content 

 myself with saying that I hope It will at least be more ac- 

 ceptable to the lovers of poetry than such sing song origi- 

 nals, as are uhgilded by the bright rays of a genuine A- 

 poUo, or unfraught with a strong ardent spirit of iaventlon. 

 I am, Sir, your constant reader, Philotuesis. 



* Gibboo, vol. iii. p. lai. njte. 



